Eend in het water 1887 - 1924

Curator: Julie de Graag, a Dutch artist active between 1887 and 1924, crafted this charming piece, “Eend in het water” or “Duck in the Water”. It is made using woodcut techniques, resulting in a striking print. Editor: Immediately, it feels like stepping into a children’s book – the kind that whispers fables late at night. These aren't just ducks; they are archetypes waddling in the cultural waters of storytelling. Curator: It's intriguing how De Graag balances simplicity with symbolic depth. Each animal rendered is a miniature world. Notice how the Ukiyo-e influence lends a flattened perspective, drawing us into a realm of pattern and fable rather than realistic representation. Editor: Absolutely. The hedgehog, almost a tightly-wound symbol of self-protection, placed at the top left, it reminds me of the need for defense, while the rabbit signifies abundance. But here, everything is cast in almost a negative light – literally a dark ground. This reversal is psychologically quite disquieting! Curator: It is the very graphic quality of the black ink on, probably, cream-colored paper that elevates it beyond mere animal studies. Each little print operates like a sigil, suggesting the power of folklore and simplified form. Editor: Each panel, isolated in the grid, contains a silent drama, a tiny narrative ready to unfold. This grid in the manner of printing playing with archetypes is quite masterful, each frame seems to question: are we the observers, or are we observed? Curator: What strikes me, returning to it now, is how, as I think of De Graag’s print, all these creatures have remained suspended in her moment and in a child's mind, floating timelessly through human imagination. It's a reminder that visual echoes linger, resonating for generations. Editor: Yes, it seems as though in rendering “Duck in the Water”, De Graag invites the viewers to create new personal iconography from collective imagery and her prints have become something almost magical, offering the chance to engage with primordial forms.